NEWARK -- Devils coach Pete DeBoer has been saying he thinks his forwards have more offense to give during a post-Olympics stretch run that begins Thursday night.

Who's he talking about?

Patrik Elias, Ryane Clowe, Damien Brunner, Michael Ryder?

Yes, yes, yes and yes.

Adam Henrique?

Guess again.

Think Henrique looked like a future 30-goal scorer as a rookie two seasons ago?

Think he should have more than 14 this season?

Think his 27 points are low?

Henrique was listed among five players we singled out that can get the Devils to the playoffs by doing more, but DeBoer seems to disagree. He loves Henrique's game, which usually is as two-way efficient as any forward he has.

Asked if he's looking for more offense from Henrique after Thursday's morning skate, DeBoer said, "You have to be real careful. I think Adam Henrique comes to the rink every day with a good attitude … and a good team attitude. He plays well defensively.

“What's a realistic expectation for him? Is it 80 points? Probably not where he's at right now. I think he's on pace for 20 goals, which is probably what he is.”

Expectations shot through the roof because of Henrique's rookie season – 16 goals and 51 points in the regular season, two series-clinching goals in the playoffs.

Last year, Henrique scored 11 goals in 42 games in a lockout-shortened season, which isn't bad, but his five assists were extremely low for a guy who received a lot of top-6 minutes and power-play time.

Henrique probably would have 25 to 30 goals this season if he hadn't hit so many posts, and if only a few more of his many scoring chances had gone in.

In the meantime, Henrique has been as good as ever in the Devils' end and plays a big part of the NHL's top penalty-killing unit.

No doubt, as bad as the Devils goofed by drafting speedy Swedish winger Mattias Tedenby 24th overall in the first round in the 2008 draft, they hit the jackpot when they took Henrique 82nd overall in the third round.

Devils management rewarded Henrique, 24, with a six-year, $24 million contract last summer. Now, the team wants Henrique to be who he is, not more.

"We're trying to squeeze a little bit more out of everybody, but you've got to be careful about placing unrealistic expectations on what guys are," DeBoer said. "Is there a little more there offensively? Absolutely. But how much is the key and you've to be careful not to push guys to get to places that aren't realistic."

Henrique wants to do more. Hearing DeBoer had mentioned 20 goals, he responded, “I think that’s a good benchmark. Obviously, I want to get there and score as many goals as I can. Why not 30? Get hot.”

Maybe switching back from center to left wing will be the catalyst to a strong finish.

Henrique has spent the Devils’ last 20 games playing center on a line with Clowe and Ryder as his wingers. That’ll change Thursday against Columbus, as Henrique will move to left wing - a position he played 14 times in the Devils’ first 36 games this season – on a line with Elias at center and Brunner at right wing.

“Adam Henrique is not historically an assist guy. I don’t know what the number is, but it’s not a big number and it was not a big number last year. Adam is more of a straight-line player and a shooter.

“And Patty has a history of being able to distribute. We need the puck in his hands more. He has to be, if not our best player, in our top two or three guys.”

Henrique wants to be one of those guys, as well, but not at a cost.

“I want to score. I want to make plays, get assists, get points,” he said. “It’s always nice. But I don’t want to sacrifice anything on the defensive side of things.

"I don’t just want to score 20 goals and that’s it. I always just try to be consistent all over the ice – power play, penalty kill, whatever the situation is. I want to be out there. I want to be on the ice. I want to play.”

Henrique had a goal and two assists in five games playing left wing with Elias at center earlier this season. He’s hoping for more production now.

"On the wing I feel I might be able to create little more speed coming through the neutral zone out of the defensive zone," Henrique said. "Hopefully, we can find something here right away and start scoring some more goals and producing more offense."